CUBA has mourned 16 firefighters who died while fighting a blaze as the Matanzas fuel deport earlier this month.

The fire broke out at the site on August 5 after it was struck by lightning and took nearly a week to put out after spreading to two further tanks and triggering explosions.

Forensic scientists said that although they knew all the firefighters who were battling the blaze, only 14 were identified due to the destruction of DNA.

The Cuban Society of Legal Medicine said in a statement: “We cannot differentiate one from the other.”  

Flags across the country were hung at half mass on Thursday evening in a sombre vigil.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sent a message of solidarity to the island nation and promised to support the reconstruction of the facility.

He said: “Cuba knows that it has our scientific, technical, engineering and worker support.”

Venezuela and Mexico sent dozens of flights of aid to help stop the flames.